LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS.

i CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. ! INTERESTING CONTESTS. A. F. WIEDING DEFEATS FISHER. FISHEE AND PEACOCE WIN THE •DOUBLES. V (By Telegraph.-Press' Association.) Auckland, December 29. The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association's ' championship tournament was practically concluded to-day, when the finals of four events were played off. Owing to the fact that several of the competitors in tho combined doubles, were taking part in the other matches, it was found impossible to complete this event.. Except for a fairly strong sou'wester, ; which blew across the courts, everything was favourable for good tennis. A largo crowd was in attendance in the morning to witness tho semi-finals, and in the afternoon there was a record gathering for a ; tournament held in' Auckland. In the semi-final of the men's singles Fisher easily accounted for, Hawkins in straight sots. • .•'..:: Tho final wasplayed between A. F. Wilding and Fisher directly after the doubles match was finished. Wilding served and won the game after deuco was oalled. Fisher, took the next game, after losing two acos. After this Wilding took tho remaining games 'the set comfortably. In the/second 6ct Wilding opened well and by cleverly working his opponcn! : but'of position, led 3—o. -In the fourth gamo the Christchurch champion lost hi/ serve to- Fisher, who sent home 6omo brilliant side-line drives. Fisher then seemed to tire a lot,' and his opponent found no difficulty in- getting the next three games and set.. Wilding ran awaj with the first three'games of tho last set. Then Fisher made a recovery, and won the next game, after, deuce was called. Wilding secured the remaining three games very easily. The time occupied for flie contest was ,40 minutes. Wilding was always too - accurate and ' clever. ■'/,.-•■■ -'In. ; the semi-final of the men's doubles, F. Wilding' and A. F. Wilding beat the Wellington pair; H.' Brown and'J. Blair, 6-3, G-ri, 6-2. The. play, of : Wilding,, senior, in this contest was remarkably good.' ' ' The final provided the most interesting and exciting ' match" of the tournament. Fisher and Peacock (the winners) led, ,2 T -0. The Wildings took, next game ,af-. iter deuce hid been called. Both, sides were playing carefully, and the. score was brought to threc-nll.\ Peacock: and Fisher won , the next with"-a' lovo, game.. -The losers led, 5—4, but .Fisher's won. his' serve without the loss of an .ace. Sevenall was called. The.: losers fared badly in the next two games, which went to tho Wellington pair, and set 9—7. In the second set it was even.going up to threeall. .Wildings, led, ir-3;,then Fisher andPeacock secured the next three games and set, without much fight. In tho third and fourth sets, Wilding, senr., served? from the best sido of'the court; This seemed to alter the complexion of' . tho'g'ame, and the contesting'combination were able to "bring the scoro to 2 sets all.. In the last set, Wilding,'-'senr., . showed-signs of'the wain -of -the, preceding four sets. Tho winners led, 3-r-l, -~ and, then i—2. Ih the last two games the Wcllingtonians exhibited plenty of dash, :and -took risks, which came off; The match started at 2.39 p.m., and-finished ;at>s. ■'~ .:' ;-;■ : ~'■":'.,. :■";■-/.'■', ' '. In the. semi-final'of the ladies' singles Miss Powdrell had a longfight-with Miss ' Travers. The result was open- till five-all was called/in'.the. final'.'set. 'There was' liltlo between the pair on-the day's play., ; Miss .Nunneley disposed of,-Miss. Gray, '' ,in straight sets. The latter was-within • an ace , of' securing ■ the' -second" sot on' j two occasions. , ,;'-.:■. • ■ ; . In tho final Miss\L. : Powdrell-. repeated : her last year's performance by defeating Miss Nunneley. ■■ This year-the Taranaki ■ lady_had a much easier task, only losing four games in the match. " : ( Tho ladies- doubles final went to last' ' year's champions, Misses, Powdrell and ' Grayi fairly easily! Tho combination and ' accuracy of tho winners was too much ' for Misses-Nuuneley and Braithwaite., " ■: Tho. following are details of . to-day's ; games:— ', : . --~.■ "■' . •• ■, Men's Championship Singles; '/■ ] ■ Semi-final. '■''■■ ! .,": ' •' F. M; B. Fisher beats L. W.' Hawkins; 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. :-... ■ '■•-■•' ■" ■ v Final.' ■.:■ , , , A. F. Wilding, boat P.'-'-'M, } B. Fisher, '■'' 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 (87. aces to 51). '. : 1 ;.-.- Ladies' Championship Singles.: '~'..'' Semi-finnl. \,; ' . Miss L./Powdi'ell beat Miss Travers. f 6-2, 4-fi,;..7r-5,- . ,: ,: , .■ j : Mis.i K. t'Nunneley beat Miss A.'.Grav, ( G—3, ;12—lfl. : ' . . . .' ," j -■■.■•'■'-'"■■; :.■■■■•.■■".Final'■'■•"'.,.■■'; ''.-' ] .Miss L,'Powdrell.beati.Miss.E. Nunneloy, :.G-2,: 6-2.. . ' i s ' .. Men's Championship Doubles. i ;"..': Semi-final.'•'-.:, .: ,-. : , ( ':. F. Wilding,: 'and A. T; Wilding ( beat.H. W. Brown and J. C. Blair, 6—3. I 6-4,;.6-2/ ; '■:"■" '.' ,',. ■:'■"■■■ , - ■•.-, ;• "-■- • ,' ■'•'-.■'.- Final. ' .'•'-. .'•.' s • F. M. B. Fisher' and J.:C. Peacock J beat F. Wilding, sen'., and A.' F. Wilding, t 9-7, 6-4, 5.-7, c-8,;;6-2...;. .; -. . ' e , Ladies' Championship; Doubles. ;, •'■■ •'' ..-'•■' - ; : •'■■':.' Final.''-;-. "'■. ''■-; .i ■ Misses L. Powdrell: and-A. Gray beat Misses K..-Nunneley. and K. Braithwaite • 6—2,:G—3. ".- : :,: ■■ j : ■ , Combined Championship Doubles. '• ■'• ; v ..-. Third Round. | "Dr., Keith and' Miss Gray beat' G. Ebbett and Miss E. Wellwood,, ' n E. Hickson and MissL. Powdrell beat v J.'U Peacock and Miss Braithwaite, 6—2, „ M- /■•■'.'.'•■ '.r ' ■"■'■ '■■' ... {, One -more match has to be played to ii complete the .third found." The semi- t hnal and the final of theso contests will « be played on-Friday. ; • ~,,.-. j • ' ■■",.. ■<''. ■■ ■:..'. ■■' il : NOTES ON, THE PLAT.' ,/.- n (By 'Mccraph.-Special dorrespondent.) 'p mt l '■ ■ Auckland, Deeember-29. .' fi : The tennis championship .meeting- was o :ontinued. to-day, the weather conditions o jemg. most-favourable. -Owing to'an" oversight on tho ; part of I ;ho Management Committee, they wero inablovto finish the combined champion;hip doubles.; . The committee had plenty' ''; if opportunities to , push-. this event' C ;hrough, .yesterday aftomoon,/'several: a'i :ourts beign : available most' of the atV tl ernoon, but they kept it back' for to- h lay without considering that those in di ho semi-finals would also be in the ir inals of other: events. •;. . '.'.:, 0] There, w.as a large: attendance of tho bi lublid, about nino hundred witnessinit P c ho finals. . '. ■' ' Jj, In the semi-final in tho singles Fisher asily accounted for Hawkins in three ots straight. Fisher was right on his : :amo - to-day, and played brilliantly. Ho '■ net Wilding in the final, hut was too ' atigued after the final of the doublo to St aako a good showing, and failed' to take w' '■ set -" ■"■--,'■ ■■•" .■'■■■■ 'to In tho men's doubles, Brown and Blair l a net the hvo Wildings, in" the semi-final, ov nd although they opened well, they be ailed to extend their opponents, as was ', xpected. Brown, and Blair led 3-r0 n tho first set. Then tho Wildings got uto their strido and took the next six ames. In .the second set tho Wcllingonians again mado a good start, and H ield their own to 4 all, but lost tho so dhthgaino after some luird, heady ral- w ies, in which "honours were even. Then i,, L.. Wilding won the next game on his ii. ervicc. Iho third set-saw'Brown'and l,; Slair beaten, and they only secured two „ ames. All through tho play showed that ji he lasers rather under-estimated tlio •"• bilities of. Wilding, sou;, who played letter than he did at the Nelson tournaaeht, his smashing, and placing being larticularly good. , ' , . Tho: final was fought ,out be- nE ween Fisher and Peacock, and fj lio '-: Wildings amidst, continuous -apilauso. Fisher : was at; the, top of his If orra, his glancing volleys, powerful \u mashing, and deep tossing, king splen- / id. Peacock was shade off, particuarly in his.'service. Wilding' won' tho oss, -and: served,"but'only, scored ono ] ,ee in the game.. Fisher served next, and M< ,-on by some, pretty volleying.. Then fol- J. owed.a ferics.oi hard-fought games, un- '*h il seven all was called. -Thon Wilding,- Ml i'n.,, lost' his service., and Peacock won- SJj lis. giving, the WuUingUminns the set m ,t .8-"!,: 'i'lie eecond set. saw, Fisher, at jw

hisbcst, with flashes of' brilliancy fron Peacock. Wilding lost his first servici in the game, and play was even up ti four all. Then Peacock and Fisher madi a, great, effort, and took two love'game: and set at 6-4. The third set was i repetition of the second up to five all when some weak play .by, both Fisliei , and Peacock'gavo the next two game: to the Wildings. The fourth set ran t< six all. Then A. Wilding won a lovi gamo on his service, and Peacock failec ; with, his, giving the set-to the Wildingi at 8—6., Tlio pace which the Wellington ions had,set was too much for Wilding sen., who was knocked up, aud failed fc play well,in tho concluding set. Pea cook was,the freshest of the four, anc forced tho play' by hard smashing anc '. splendid .tossing against Wilding'! I furious smashing. Fisher never playec , better, and the pair deserved their splen- , did victory; which gives them the championship of New Zealand. Tho.ladies' singles \ieve well contested ; in .the semi-finals, but in the final Miss i Powdrell had an easier victory than any- • one anticipated. Miss Travers played o splendid' game' against Miss Powdrell in • the semi-final. This game . was a. greal . exhibition of hard driving. The rallies were long and hard. -.The. result:was in . doubt until' the last ace was scored; The score wasG—2, 4—6, and 7—5. : : Miss : Gray extended Miss Nunneley^in their second set, tho. f6rmer's volleying and cross shots being exceptionally' good; Tho last set finished_ at 12 to 10. Tho meeting of Misses Powdrell' and Nunneley was. : disappointing. Miss -Powdrell has shown that she was at the top of her form, but Miss Nunneley appeared uncertain, and although her driving was as good as usual, sho lacked decision. M,iss Powdrell's placing was splendid, and ;«e never appeared to bo at all pressed. Her piny gave Miss Nunneley few.opportunities, to got in her drive. to. her opponent's backhand. She won tho last game amidst great enthusiasm. i The'final of the'/ladies' doubles was not as interesting as some of the earlier . games in.'this event. Miss BraithwaitJ played below, forms and was continually <Wt of position.' In fact 6ho' and Miss Nunneley make a poor combination, whereas their opponents showed by their play that they understood each other. Miss Gray played up to her reputation as tho best lady volloyer on tho ground. "Miss Powdrell was quick to see a,fault in her opponent's position, and her; sidelino driving was scoring, continuously, but the victory, though a good ; onei' was easily earned, i-'- '~. -. ■ I After : to-day's matches'; tho , trophies were presented on the ground. •'.: